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Leda and the Swan 233
never wanted to go out under ether. And cause he couldn't refuse me if I seriously
that is what it would really amount to. asked it."
Their talk of my 'chance'! No, indeed. Doctor Hynes still fingered the brocade.
If there had been a real chance, he'd have "You've told me, yourself, everything
carried me off bodily—he wouldn't have I want to know," said Mrs. Farrant.
hemmed and hawed to you."
Then he turned. "No, indeed, I
"How do you know what he did?" haven't. I've only said—as Windisch
"I know every line of your face, my himself did—that I couldn't advise."
dear."
"In another case, you'd advise quickly
"But, Leo darling "
enough." She smiled. "I don't ask you
"It's all right. I've always been ready for another word. I don't hold you responsible
in any sense. And now—you
to get out when my time came. If there
were one chance in a million to give me said you would be good enough to see that
back my arm—well, that would be a sporting
proposition. We'd see."
She went to her desk, wrote the cheque
Doctor Windisch's cheque reached him."
"You don't care just to be well—with firmly, and handed it to him. "Thank
me? Remember, there's all the Mannheimer
money coming in."
How long is he going to live, on this
you. One thing I should like to know.
"No, thanks. Remember, he couldn't basis?"
be enthusiastic, even for the sake of doing He looked at her gravely, kindly, as so
a little sleight of hand among my vital often he had done. "Not more than a
organs. And they love doing it, you month or two, Mrs. Farrant—with the
know, just as I loved to paint. No, I'm turn things have taken in forty-eight
content as I am. I should feel a fool—a hours. And the nursing is going to be
fool." His voice died away in a murmur, hard. You had better keep Miss Dall."
and he closed his eyes. "I'm just glad," "Is there going to be anything to do
he whispered, "that you'll have something
to go on with. Awfully glad of that, nical, I mean?"
for him that I can't do? Anything tech­
Marie. I always liked Mannheimer, you "Nothing that you couldn't learn to
know—not like most of them." The do — except perhaps occasionally. But
pain had come, and she summoned the it would be the height of unwisdom for
nurse.
you to do it. It would mean—and I can
Doctor Hynes could not say, when he speak quite positively about that—a complete
breakdown for you: years in a sana­
returned that afternoon, that he considered
Farrant's decision unwise. " I won't torium, perhaps. You are pretty well worn
force him to the operating-table against out already."
his will," she explained, "unless you or "I'll chance the sanatorium. It won't
Windisch can give me more hope than he in the least matter—afterward. The only
gave me this morning. I should feel that thing I care about is being with my husband
every minute now until the end. I
I had killed him, when he didn't want to
be killed."
should be jealous, you see"—she expounded
carefully—"of any one else who
"Oh, I don't think Windisch really wants
to operate, you know." The doctor, fingering
a tiny square of brocade, did not " I see how you feel, Mrs. Farrant. But
did things for him."
look at her. "But he wouldn't have considered
it honest to say that there was no only asking you to take enough care of
I'm not asking you to leave him. I'm
hope—if you measure hope as they do radium.
It lies with you entirely. Of course, can be a constant comfort to him—so
yourself so that, while he does live, you
it would be a very great expense." that you'll be at your best for him, all the
"There is plenty of money," she broke time. And I should be sorry to have you
in. "We can perfectly afford the operation
if that hope is worth looking at." back on some one else, for she's an excep­
let Miss Dall go, and later have to fall
He was silent. " I see you don't think tionally nice woman. Most nurses would
it is," she said. "Then how can I violate be much more in your way."
my husband's will in the matter? For "You think I can't put it through?"
he would only consent, for my sake, be­
"Not to the end."